Saturday, February 23, 2008

Music and Politics and Whatever

MP2 has been in overdrive this last week and I (still depressed over the loss of our position) have been feeding off of it--trying to knock this flu and make myself care about this department and university (I know that sounds PATHETIC, but that's how I feel--kinda like thank god I have a few colleagues with their heads screwed on straight and some students I really care about). Anyway, MP2 has been living it up, so good for him. He called in the middle of a Ron Paul rally on Monday (?), and then on Wednesday, he phoned me (and sent a few pix) in the middle of a Chelsea Clinton rally. I actually saw some of the coverage of her visit to UNT on the national news last night--and recognized a couple backdrops from the interior of the student union (memorable because of a very artistic weaving, about 3 stories tall, that I spent some time looking at this past summer). THEN, on Thursday night, he emailed me about midnight or 1:00 AM (his time) to say that he had just gotten out of a seminar on "Originality" (held in the concert hall of his dorm). He was so turned on by the few hours he had spent in this environment that I was almost jealous (but of course, very pleased that he's having this great freshman year!, and I quote)..."an awesome meeting with about 15 students and 3 professors (my theory teacher, head of composition department, and a teacher in drawing and painting (he got his BA and MA from [nearby university]), although anyone could join who wanted. The discussion was on originality...where the concept of originality came from and around what time, why there's pressure to be original, what that really means, media brainwashing, academic brainwashing, beauty and WOW it blew my mind...it was the deepest conversation from SUPER culturally smart people who knew all the history of art from poetry to electronic music to japanese painting...listening to these guys blew my mind...I've never heard such a 'deep' conversation, in such intellectual terms, a real discussion on really abstract topics....WOW!" Yes, well--that's what I say, wow. I want to be in that seminar instead of in a worthless faculty meeting talking about budget cut backs at 10% over the next two years. So, yes, I am slightly jealous. MP1 is doing well, too. She got to drive the Tokyo String Quartet [and their Strads, which are *almost* more valuable than human life] from their hotel to campus the other day. They loved her ancient Acura--exclaiming that it was a "classic," etc. She was cracking up afterwards, because she had been thinking of borrowing the Audi out of embarrassment at her car's age. But they kept going on and on about how good Acuras are, and what a classic hers was. It was pretty funny. And, they are an amazing quartet. I bet they've been together for as many years as MP1's car has been around. Okay, happy weekend everyone--I guess I'll get back to work. Or maybe get a mocha. [Update: I got the mocha--and batteries in case the much-hyped storm knocks the power out. Sigh. ]